I know there will be a referendum on the future status of Puerto Rico in november. So i wonder if Puerto Rico into the Union, can he still sent teams to world championships, Pan American Games and Olympic Games?
1. I really doubt Puerto Rico becomes a US state any time in the near future. 2. I'd guess that Puerto Rico's status would be similar to Martinique no?
I also hope that Puerto Ricans will vote for at least for the status quo. Question of status, we are well placed to talk about in Guadeloupe, Martinique and French Guyana because France will carry out a kind decolonization in the British way. This will start with more autonomy.
In 1998, 50.3% of Puerto Ricans, when given the options of statehood, commonwealth, or full indepedence, voted for none of the above. Apparently they didn't like the cateogrization In 1993, the Commonwealth option failed to receive a full majority (48%). In 1967, the Commonwealth had the support of 60% of the electorate. The trend towards statehood as the goal of Puerto Ricans is notable. There is a very realistic chance that it becomes the 51st state by the end of 2012. I don't think it would be like Martinique, because it would be fully included in the United States, exactly like Hawaii, Texas, or any of the other 48 states.
2012!? That's in less than 10 months. Seems a bit optimistic to get through all the hoops even if Puerto Rico really really wanted it.
I'm not exactly sure what the legislative process would have to be like for Puerto Rico to become the 51st state, but I can't imagine it would take too long. 2012 may have been rushing it, but by the end of 2013 then.
The 50.3% percent of people who voted for none of the above, where basically voting for Commonwealth since it was the Commonwealth party the one who said they were going to vote for none of the above since they thought they were unfairly categorized. There is no way that Statehood gets at most 50% which would mean half of the nation and if you think that the other 50% of the people against statehood are going to let it happen lying down, you've got another thing coming. No way it happens by 2012.
Puerto Rico becomes the 51st state about the same time Canada gets that Caribbean nation we've gone back and forth with to become our 14th territory!
Martinique as an oversea Department of France, is as fully integrated part of France as the continental departments (such as Bouches-du-Rhône). In other words, in the same way Hawaii is as much a part of the United States as Texas.
Not really because USA and Canada are federal States. So each state in USA or Canada has its own parliament, its government and passes laws. Just like Scotland and Wales in Great Britain. By cons, France is a centralized or jacobin State. Guadeloupe or Martinique are overseas department, they are similar to laws passed by central government. So they have no parliament, they have no government, they don't vote for laws. In short, Guadeloupe and Martinique are not States, since France is not a federal State like USA, Canada or Spain. But they are still exceptions on the rule because you have overseas territories (TOM) which don't have the same status as overseas departments. You have for example, New Caldeonia and French Polynesia that have their own parliament, government and voting on legislation. However, this situation is about to change because France government began today reforms on its institutions organization. So i think rather that Guadeloupe and Martinique will risk becoming like Puerto Rico, Turks and Caïcos or French Polynesia.
If Puerto Rico becomes a state, I find that at least two things would need to be addressed. The first, the Puerto Rico FA would have to decide if they would like to stay as an individual entity or be absolved into the USSF. Puerto Rico, as a full member of FIFA has certain rights, and could petition FIFA to have the same rights of England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. The second thing would deal with nationality. IIRC citizens of the "home nations" especially Wales have extremely liberal interpretations of representation by "non citizens." I would assume Puerto Ricans by birth would be obviously automatically eligible for both the USA and PR teams (as they are currently). However, how do you gain PR residency? Can any player from another of the 50 states, purchase a winter home there and gain "nationality?"
Well someone else who knows better can fill you in, but I have noticed that the good number of the Puerto Rico team simply comes from the Islanders USL team. So on first glance it looks like about a year or two residence and you are good to go.
You just need to be residing in Puerto Rico for two years and be a citizen of the united states to be eligible to play for the Puerto Rico national team, the other options are to either be born in Puerto Rico or be born of Puerto Rican parents or grandparent. I'm supporting becoming a state but the people are pretty evenly split about becoming a state and staying a territory, Commonwealth as the US uses it is more a colony than a autonomous region. I see it hard that we will be able to get 50% for any of the options, but a pro statehood victory would put the wheels in motion to decolonize the island. On whether we had to relinquish our Olympic and Futbol teams, it is all up to the federation and the olimpic comity on the island to decide. I could see the Olympic Comity holding on but I'm more unsure about the futbol federation because it is such a small entity.
Their status right now is similar to martinique, if they became a 51st state i assume they would have to be part of the USSF and USOC
Martinique is not a FIFA member, they are only a CONCACAF member and this why you see them only in Gold Cup or Caribbean cup. If Puerto Rico become the 51st state then they will likely lose their FIFA status.
Their status is not similar to Martinique because Martinique is a part of France (Department); for that reason it is not a FIFA member; taking into account that states and departments are not quite the same thing politically (department seems to be even more integrated and dependent than a state), it is just like Hawaii cannot be a FIFA member because they're a part of United States.
If Puerto Rico becomes a state (which I think is unlikely) then they will cease to have any separate national teams for World Cup or Olympics. I know Great Britain is a strange case (individual states for the World Cup, but not for the Olympics), but the rest are pretty consistent. Any PR who wanted to compete would have to qualify or be selected for the US squad.
Or completely ignore what I said. No becoming a state doesn't mean a automatic charter loss from the Olympic or FIFA teams. I'm Puerto Rican and we debated this way longer than anyone here, a Olympic official already said this was true. To revoke the charter PR would have to do something very bad or revoke it voluntarily, this would be similar to Saarland when it integrated back into Germany. The Olympic Commity and they Football Federation voted to relinquish their charters. The US Olympic Commity would probably try to press the IOC but there's nothing the IOC can really do, their charters are not easy to revoke and the PROC does not look like it would vote its charter out. FIFA is another matter our Federations is small and financially strapped I could see them bowing down to US pressure. So no we don't HAVE to give our sports independence away, we probably should but we don't have to.
